Improvement in grain-binders



l WILLIAM LOTTRIDGE, CF CHARLES CITY, IOWA.

1 IMPROVEMENT IN GRAIN-BINDERS.

specification fQmnn-g pm ff Letters attent No. 93,458, dated August 1o,1869.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM LOTTRIDGE, of Charles City, in the county ofFloyd 'and State of Iowa, have invented a new and Improved Grain-Binder5 and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exactdescription thereof, which will enable others skilled in the artto makeand use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements vin grain-binding machines, theobject of which is to provide a machine capableof binding theV sheaveswith bands of straw, tov be made andplaced in position by the attendant.

I he arrangement of the machine is such th at the grain is deliveredupon a raking device attached to the side thereof, which conveys thegrain in gavels in a lateral direction up an incline and delivers itinto a trough, across which a band has been previously placed bytheoperator, with' the `ends to be tied around the sheaf in the notched orgroovcd ends of a pair of ycurved compressing-jaws, which move up fromeach side and condense the sheaf between them, and present the said endsof the band to a twister, which twists the ends together, and

from which the twisted end ofthe band is taken and tucked between theband and the sheaf by a tucker, in a manner similar to that practicedwhen bound by hand.v After the tucking is accomplished a disch argeractuated by a spring strikes the sheaf at the end and drives it out ofthe trough, all as hereinafter more fully specified.

Figure 1 represents a transverse sectional elevation of my improvedmachine, and Fig. 2 represents a horizontal section of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A represents a laterally-projecting apron, whereon the grain isdelivered from the reap in g-machine, or by any other means. An endlesscarrier or raking device, B, working over the said apron and up theincline C, over the roller D, gathers the grain into gavels, and carriesit to and delivers it into the trough E, across which a band of straw,previously formed by the operator, who occupies the seat O, has beenlaid, with the ends in the curved grooves a of the vertical gripingjawsF F1. These jaws are arranged to embrace the grainand opposite end by acord, L5,

condense it into a bundle, and also to present the ends of the band tothe twister G. The

jaw Fis pivoted in slotted bearings at F2, and

jointed at F3 to a lever, F4, )ivoted at F 5, and

connected to th end F6 of a yoke, F1, deriving lareciprocating motionfrom the. crank F3 of the'driving7shaft. The said end F*3 of the'yokeworks ina grooved support, F9. The jaw F1 is pivoted at F1o to fixedbearin gs, and jointed at F11 to the opposite end of the said yoke, alsoworking in a groove. .By this arrangement the griping-jaws are openedand closed by one revolution of the crank-shaft. The said crankshaftderivesv motion from the shaft H of the driving-wheel H by suitablegear-wheels, so arranged that when the machine is moved backward theycannot rotate the`crank-shaft. These gripin g or conden sing jaws areprovided with semicircular recesses or grooves I in their upper ends,which meet together around the shaft of the twister G, and hold theendsof the band while they are engaged by the curved arms of thetwister, the shaft G of which is supported vertically -in the axis ofthe central opening formed'by the junction of theends of the jaws F F1,so as to suspend the twister immediately below the ends of the jaws. The

-said twister is kept in constant motion by a system of gear-wheelsconnecting with the crank-shaft. When the ends of the band have beensutliciently twisted together a crotched tucker, L, located in bearingsupon the jaw F1, so as to be in theright position when the jaws areclosed` to strike the twisted band immediately below the twister, is setinto motion by a tappet, L1, on a shaft, L2, constantly moving andderiving motion from the crank-shaft, which tappet strikes the end of alever, L3, supported on an axis, L4, and connected at its to a pulley,L6, onA

the shaft of the said tucker. The said shaft is provided with aretracting-spring, L1, to restore it to its normal position after havingperformed the tucking operation,which consists in detachin g the saidtwisted end of the band from the twister and the jaws, and tucking itbetween the band and the straw of the bundle, in the manner commonlypracticedby hand.

After this operation has been performed the final Idischarging operationis e'ected in the following manner: A discharger, M, attached to astrap, M2, connected at one end to a discharging-spring, M3, and at theother end to a loose crank, M4, on the shaft of Va constantlyrevolvingwheel, M5, is retracted by a fixed pin, M6, projectingfronl the face ofthe wheel M5, which forces the said loose crank in the backwarddirection until it rises above the axis of the hub, when'thedischarging-spring will cause the strap to ily forward, carrying thedischarger M against the end ofthe bundle, ejecting it from `the mouthof the receiver, a slot being formed in the bottom thereof to allow thedischarger to move a sulcient distance for the purpose.

I do not desire to limit myself to the arrangementot the machinery whichI have herein shown for actuating the essential elements of l myinvention, which I consider to be the receiver, gri pin gjaws, twister,and .tucker, when combined and adapted for tying the bands of straws, as`other arrangements may be employed with good results for operatingthese principal elements.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- Y 1. The arrangement of the receiver E, griping orcondensing jaws .F F1, twister G, and tucker L, as .hereindescribed,'rfor .thepurpose specified.

V2. The discharger M, constructed as described, in combination with thespring M3,

loose crank M, pin M6 on thewheel M5, and

the slotted receiver E, substantially as described, for the purposespecilied.

3. The arrangement of the griping-jaws F F1 with relation to each other,and the lever F4, yoke F7, crank F8, grooved supports, and slotted andfixed bearings, substantially as herein shown and described, for thepurpose specified. 4. The arrangement of thetwister G G with :referenceto the .griping-jaws F Fl and tucker L, whereby itis adapted to operateinthe manner described, for thepurposeset forth.y

4WILLIAM LOTTRIDGE.

Witnesses:

.ADDIsScHERii/ns:RHORN,

W. HAUSBERG.

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